Scam Alert: SS#'s

Montgomery College's President recently warned students of a scam asking for their bank account numbers and social security numbers. As a reminder: SHSU employees should request and use the SamID whenever possible rather than asking students to provide their social security numbers. Let's make sure our students KNOW that e-mail or telephone scams like these would not be a legitimate University request.

Not-so-Dangerous Liaisons

Do you have a fulltime staff or faculty member that is handling technology issues for your department more than 25% of the time? For benchmarking purposes, state and national entities are requesting information regarding the University's decentralized FTE's currently providing technological help. So we need the information for reporting purposes.

Additionally, we'd like to set up a mailing list targeting the University's staff/faculty handling college and departmental networking and computer issues. We want to ensure departmental liaisons are aware of the background technical changes, security concerns, and plans so that we can create a true liaison relationship. Please e-mail the Helpdesk with the username(s) and percentages of FTE's devoted to technical support.

A Macintosh Town Hall Meeting

You are invited to a get-together solely to address concerns of the University's Macintosh community. There are a number of issues that have come to light such as administrative privileges with the new operating systems and accesses to Sam Menu University functions. Please come with your questions and help provide input.

The meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. on April 6th at the Olson Auditorium.

Sam Menu

In January, we reported that we were removing the Unofficial Transcript from Nell March 1st. In response to feedback, we postponed that until we could "speed up" the Sam Menu version. We're doing that now by deleting the background image; the new date to remove the TRNS30R version on Nell will be April 15th. We appreciate your comments and input. If something is not working up to your expectations, please tell us.

Other programs now on Sam Menu that will be removed from Nell April 15th include:

• ADMN09R - ADMISSIONS LOG VIEW   
• ADMN77R - PREP EQUATION  
• ADMN79R - PREP-INATOR
• MAJR01MC -ACADEMIC MAJOR CODE FILE MAINT
• ROOM01RC - COMPRESSED ROOM REPORT
• SECT02M - DEPARTMENTAL SECTION MAINT

Print a Page or Two on Us Again

We have five black/white Dell 1700 personal laser printers to give away this month. Since the University is split into five divisions, (we're counting President's Office areas with University Advancement areas as one) we're awarding a printer to one lucky department within each division.

Refer to the review to make sure these printers will fit your department's needs and space. Then be the first from your division to e-mail us if you want a 1700 for your dept. We do appreciate your taking the time to read the Update.

Change is in the Air

A (better) Quicktime streaming server is now available. If you want to stream video with it, you must first have a Mac account, and also be added to the Streaming Group. Contact the Helpdesk if you'd like to be in this group. Macintosh users can then map (afp) to the MACQT server, login with Macintosh username/password, choose the streaming volume, and then choose the desired folder.

If there is a demand from our PC community, we can add server access for you also. Please e-mail the Helpdesk and let us know of your interest in using the streaming server.

Blackboard

Do you ever wonder how you can post a image on a Blackboard Announcement? Do you get stumped with a Bb question, but don't have time during the day to call the Blackboard Team? Why not check out our Blackboard FAQ located in Blackboard Central. You'll find the answer to that announcement/image question as well as many others.

The group's getting back together! The Blackboard Best Practices group (formerly the Blackboard Users group) is going to start meeting again. What better way to learn the ins and outs of Bb than to see what your colleagues are doing! If you are interested, e-mail Jacob Spradlin with available days and times. This group will meet monthly.

Expanding Your Skills

With this month's selection of technology classes, we are focusing on the new features in Blackboard. Blackboard Faculty can learn how to utilize the new Journaling, Team Building, and Searching features that are now available with Blackboard at SHSU. We've received many calls this month on Keeping Spam down in your Inbox, so we will once again be offering an Outlook: Filtering your Spam course.

As always feel free to use the Training-By-Appointment option to sign up for any Training sessions not listed on the calendar.

New Help

Christopher Walker joined the Systems group March 16th. Christopher will be your contact for computer purchases as he is now in charge of Inventory. You can continue to call in your Work Order requests for quotes to the Helpdesk at 41950, and Christopher will be coordinating the order.

What's Good, What's Not

The Helpdesk provides support for university equipment and software on the local area network. Each month's Update will now include the versions of software and minimum requirements for hardware with the new or changed information highlighted and bolded.

• Memory Sticks: Purchase (and encourage your students to buy) flash drives that are USB Mass Storage Compliant. Want details of why?
• Operating Systems: The supported version of Macintosh machines is OS X. The supported version of Microsoft's Operating System is Windows XP.
• Software Packages: The supported versions of Office suites are Microsoft's Office 2003 and WordPerfect Office 2000 for PC's and Microsoft Office 2004 for Macintoshes.
• Hardware Configurations: The minimum requirement for SHSU Local Area Network support for a PC is a 1Ghz processor,  with 512mb RAM, and a 40GB disk. The minimum requirement for a Macintosh on the LAN is a 733 mhz processor, with 512mb RAM,and a 40GB disk.

Approved for campus-wide e-mail distribution by Associate Vice President Jim Stevens